


And I Will Make Thee Beds Of Roses

by Neyiea



Category: Rise of the Guardians (2012)
Genre: M/M, Post-Movie, RotG Kink Meme, lovestruck!Sandy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-01-05
Updated: 2013-01-23
Packaged: 2017-11-23 19:34:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,927
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/625783
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neyiea/pseuds/Neyiea
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sandy always kept his feelings regarding Pitch to himself, but when the other spirit returns after five years in hiding and Sandy's affection for him only becomes stronger, he decides to take action.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Title taken from the poem Come live with me and be my love by Christopher Marlowe.

There's something about the way Pitch moves, graceful and dance-like, even when he's nervous, that Sandy has always enjoyed watching, even back when he would never admit there was anything to like about the Boogeyman. So much time has passed since then and Sandy can admit, at least to himself, that his feelings have only become stronger as the years go by. It's crazy and foolish, especially considering that, not even five years ago, Pitch had essentially killed him. Still, he can't change the way he feels, he learned that after the first hundred years or so, and he can't help the way his feelings have been intensifying, especially as of late.

Pitch is back, has been for a while, and even though Sandy knows he should probably inform the other Guardians about this, he's instead kept the information to himself and, when he can find the time, watches the other spirit go about his nightly rounds.

From what he can tell Pitch is, not exactly redeeming himself, but going back to his old ways, using fear to keep people safe. He sneaks around through dangerous neighbourhoods, sending out nightmares as reminders. Lock the door when you're home alone, don't take the short-cut down that alleyway, don't take candy from strangers. He's gained a handful of believers, but he's still weak, vulnerable, no matter how much he tries to pretend otherwise, and the faces he makes when he can't step around people quick enough and they go right through him...

Sandy sighs. If things are left as they are, Pitch will probably get desperate again.

But maybe, maybe he can prevent that. He thinks to himself one evening as he watches Pitch stroll through the shadows of a town located near a prison where an inmate has recently escaped, no doubt sending nightmares to all the children to keep them wary of strangers.

Pitch wanted, needed, attention and affection and Sandy had so, so much he could give him, if Pitch would just accept it.

If he would accept it. Sandy closed his eyes, warmth spreading through him. He would make it so good for him, give Pitch everything he'd ever wanted, and more, so much more, until the only word Pitch could remember was "Sandy" and all he wanted was-

"Ah, I thought I felt someone watching me."

Sandy opens his eyes, heart racing, and sees Pitch frowning up at him. Since there's no use hiding now he drifts down from his perch on a church's steeple, landing gently in front of the other spirit.

Pitch flinches back, skittish as a horse, and though it would be all too easy to ensnare him with sand to keep him from fleeing, Sandy would rather not scare him more than he already is.

Pitch watches him warily, even after Sandy holds up his hands to try and pacify him.

"What are you doing here? Have you come to stop me?"

Sandy shakes his head and Pitch frowns.

"Are you going to take me to the Guardians? Throw me back into my realm with my nightmares?"

Sandy shakes his head again, but Pitch seems to get even more nervous, his imagination running wild as he tries to work out why Sandy would be watching him. None of the reasons end without violence.

"Why are you here then?"

A pair of eyes appear above Sandy's head and Pitch snorts, forcing himself to look at ease even though it's painfully obvious that despite his relaxed posture he's anxious to get away.

"I am well aware that you were watching me, but why?"

Sandy purses his lips, inwardly debating whether or not to tell the truth while Pitch grows restless waiting for an answer.

"If you aren't going to tell me, I'll just leave." He turns and starts disappearing into shadow, but Sandy wraps a tendril of dreamsand around his wrist before he can completely vanish.

He tugs ineffectually at the sand, cursing under his breath, while Sandy reels him in closer.

Pitch frowns at him petulantly, but he seems to realize that if Sandy wanted to do harm he would have done it by now, so he steps closer without prompting and dutifully ignores the way the sand seems to be caressing his wrist.

"Well?"

Sandy flushes, but two figures appear above his head, obviously representing the both of them.

"Go on." Pitch drawls, expression going cold when a heart travels from Sandy to him.

"You can't mean that."

Sandy lets the figures disappear so only the heart, now pulsing wildly, remains. Above it a clock appears, it's hands spinning rapidly.

I love you. I've loved you for so long.

"No! You're lying!" Pitch snarls, once again trying to tug away the sand around his wrist.

Sandy sends another tendril of dreamsand forward to grasp his face in an effort to keep Pitch's eyes on him and conjures images he hopes will help Pitch understand, of roses and dancing and kissing but still Pitch struggles.

"You're lying! This is some sort of trick!"

It's hard to explain everything with only pictures to aide him, and Pitch's eyes have begun avoiding him, refusing to even try and make sense of the things Sandy shows him. But even though he cannot speak, he can express himself in other ways.

Pitch clearly isn't expecting the kiss, judging by the way he freezes up, but Sandy doesn't let that stop him. He slips his arms around Pitch's neck and pulls him close, starting gently, taking his time and letting the sand that had been holding Pitch in place fall away. Pitch relaxes slightly, but stays still until Sandy begins to nibble and suck on his bottom lip.

He leans into the embrace, lips moving slow and unsure and Sandy's heart stutters before continuing on, faster than before.

Pitch's lips are cool and dry and everything Sandy's ever imagined and he desperately wants to discover what else is how he thought it would be and what is different, but as much as he'd love to move things forward, he doesn't want to go too fast. If Pitch decides he's gone too far he may slip away like water through his fingers, might even attempt to go into hiding, and who knows when Sandy will have this sort of chance again.

So he regretfully pulls away, a question mark forming above his head.

Pitch opens his mouth to speak, pauses, and snaps it shut. Sandy takes his face in his hands and tries to get Pitch to meet his eyes.

"I don't understand," Pitch informs him softly, like admitting his unawareness is something to be ashamed of, "if you feel this way, why did you never tell me before?"

Sandy feels a twinge of guilt. He'd been fighting his feelings for so long, had left Pitch alone when that was the last thing either of them wanted. Maybe if he'd admitted his fondness back when he first became aware of it, years and years ago, Pitch would never have- but it is best not to dwell on the past. He gloomily shows himself, steadfastly ignoring a heart that spirals around him, getting closer and closer with each turn, and once it is within arms reach he lashes out, trying to keep it at bay.

"But when did this happen? Why do you even feel that way about me?"

Sandy feels himself smile, not only has Pitch not pushed him away and disappeared, but he actually wants him to explain. He'll conjure images all night if that's what it takes to get his point across.

First things first. The clock once again appears and is then replaced by a mountain range where the sun rapidly rises and sets in a time lapse, which then comes together as a fully formed ring, no beginning and no end.

"Over time. You don't know when it started."

Sandy nods excitedly, glad that Pitch was able to understand so clearly, now for the hard part.

He lets the images flicker in and out of existence faster now, getting the more direct messages out of the way. Himself watching Pitch under countless waxing and waning moons, Pitch lurking in woods to keep a pair of children out, safe from a hungry wolf. Then he gets more abstract.

A rose blooming, a puzzle being put together, a labyrinth, a solitary figure, the sun and moon, Yin and Yang, he looses count of the images he shows and when he can think of no more he once again displays the picture of Pitch and himself, a heart travelling between them.

Pitch coughs into his fist once, looking a bit flushed, then he licks his lips and Sandy tried not to track the movement too obviously.

"But what about five years ago when I- surely you realize this is crazy."

Sandy summons a slate covered in writing beside him and he reaches out to run a hand over it, wiping all the words away.

Pitch still looks unsure and he shifts his weight uneasily.

"It's not that I don't... Believe you," he begins awkwardly, "but this is all very-" he stops short, eyes flicking to the east where the sky is turning pink along the horizon.

"Dawn is coming. I must go."

Sandy grabs ahold of Pitch's hands, eyes pleading, a depiction of them both flying away on one of his sand clouds circling their heads.

"It is not a wise idea. You'll probably get into trouble with the others."

Sandy shrugs, then presses a kiss to the knuckles of each of his hands and looks up at him earnestly.

"I can't, not today." Pitch's fingers twitch and he seems incapable of looking at Sandy for more than a couple seconds at a time, but he's no longer actively avoiding his gaze. "I'm weary, I should retire to my shadows. But," he makes an effort to keep his eyes on the Sandman, even though he's noticeably uncomfortable, "maybe tomorrow night?"

Sandy nods excitedly, heart pumping like he'd just run a marathon, and he forms another question mark.

"Meet me here at nightfall. If you don't," Pitch closes his eyes, resigned, "then I'll take it as a sign that this was just a lapse of good judgment on your part and we can both forget it ever happened."

Sandy presses more kisses along the back of his hands, trying to reassure him.

"We'll see." Pitch remarks vaguely before slowly pulling his hands out of Sandy's grasp and the golden spirit let's him go, vanishing into the shrinking shadows.

Watching him leave is difficult. He'd love nothing more than to whisk Pitch away immediately and shower him with all the affection he'd been holding back over the years, but his chance to begin is close, less than a full day away. He's waited so long on account of his own hesitation that he'd have to be a pretty big hypocrite to not afford Pitch such a short amount of time to think things over.

In the meantime he has a job to do. He lifts himself into the sky and speeds west, quickly weaving together dreams that are maybe a touch more full of magic than usual.

x-x-x

The following evening Sandy arrives at the designated location before the sun has fallen, too eager to see Pitch again and too worried about the ramifications of being late to actually arrive at the set time.

He watches the shadows grow as the sun disappears and he shivers in anticipation when darkness falls over the town.

There is a soft whisper of movement behind him and he turns to see Pitch who is obviously trying hard to not look surprised.

"You're here." He mutters, probably to himself, but Sandy nods anyways. He floats up a bit higher and holds out a hand, an encouraging smile on his face which grows when Pitch eventually takes hold of him.

Just like that a cloud of dreamsand lifts them up into the air and Pitch makes a startled noise and tenses before settling back down and sitting alongside Sandy.

"You're not just going to do your job and ignore me, are you? If so you may as well drop me back off."

Sandy shakes his head vehemently. How could he possibly ignore Pitch when he's sitting right beside him, close enough to reach out and touch? He has his duties, yes, but after centuries of doing them he can work instinctively without much thought. What Pitch really needs right now is to get used to being around him so he'll stop seeing him as a threat. When the time comes for Sandy to start actively wooing he'll take some time off.

They sit together for hours, Sandy constantly pointing out interesting sights from their vantage point and little by little shifting closer until their sides are pressed together. Pitch gingery relaxes and seems to enjoy watching the scenery pass by and finds some amusement in the many pictures and stories Sandy creates for him.

It has been nearly four hours when they come across a small town and Sandy lowers them down in front of a quaint little house. He's been wondering for a while now how to possibly show Pitch that he accepts who his is, nightmares and all, because he knows if he doesn't address the subject at all Pitch will continue to doubt his intentions. He wants Pitch to know that he isn't going to ask him to change and he believes he's come up with a solution, although he's worried that the Boogeyman will once again think it's a trick or a trap.

He looks up at the house before them. The child inside is a particular favourite of his, he's so full of imagination that sending him dreams is truly a joy. But he gets a little too caught up in his own world sometimes, daydreaming his life away and making mountains out of molehills. If he doesn't learn to tone it down he's eventually going to get himself into big trouble.

He feels a little jittery, he's sort of going against his own nature doing this after all, but children can't always have good dreams and he knows deep down inside that once he goes through with this Pitch will know he's really serious.

"Have a special dream in mind for this one?" Pitch asks as they silently slip into the child's room. Sandy sends forth one of the boy's favourite, and most dangerous, dreams where he is a fearless knight and then steps aside, gesturing for Pitch to come forward.

The Boogeyman is understandably shocked.

"You want me to turn the dream into a nightmare?" He asks incredulously. "Are you out of your mind?!"

He's tensing up again, the shadows around them stretch and curl ominously and his eyes dart around the room as if he believes he's being watched.

"If this is some sort of test, Sanderson," Sandy winces at the way Pitch says his name and tries to take hold of his hands, but the other spirit wrenches them away, "if this was all just build up to see if I'd fail whatever idiotic test you and your companions whipped up-"

Sandy shakes his head and floats in front of Pitch, thrusting an explanation right before his eyes.

"You're going too fast Sanderson, slow down."

Sandy takes a deep breath and does so.

Pitch watches as the sand morphs into a boy playing with a toy sword, oblivious to the world around him. In his mind he battles dragons and armies while in reality he steps out into a busy street.

"So you want me to give him a taste of reality? Is that it?"

Sandy nods and Pitch straightens himself out, looking for all the world like an imposing, confident figure, except for the faint trembling of his hands.

"Very well."

He strides forward and reaches out to touch the dream, turing quickly before he can watch the fear take hold and scanning the room again.

When no one steps forward to condemn him he visibly unwinds. "Not a test then?"

Sandy reaches for his hand once more and Pitch does't try to pull away. Together they leave the room and return to the cloud, sitting even closer together than before.

Pitch, now that he's been assured that this isn't an elaborate hoax, is letting his fondness and need for contact shine through. He leans against Sandy, holds his hand tightly and when the Sandman moves to intertwine their fingers he doesn't complain, he just sits and broods silently for a while in an attempt to make heads or tails of the situation he's found himself in.

"I still don't fully understand, I think you're crazy for this and I'm sure you're going to get into trouble. But I'm not... Opposed to seeing if this will work out."

Sandy grins brightly and turns Pitch's hand around to press his lips to the open palm and then closes his hand around the kiss, delighting in the faint blush that appears on Pitch's cheeks, wondering over the many ways he could make it grow and become darker.

"Yes, well, I think it's time I returned home."

A golden sun sets over an equally gold town.

"No, not tomorrow. We both have our duties and I can't afford to miss two nights in a row. Maybe sometime next week?"

A clock, then a map of the world.

"Well, Sandy," Pitch smirks, a little bit of his attitude apparently returning, but Sandy knows faked confidence when he sees it, "it seems as though you're good at finding me. The next time you manage to come across me will be when we can spend some time together."

Sandy frowns, he'd much rather have it planned in advance.

"How about this; if you find me before two weeks have passed, I'll give you a present." He whispers the word, like a dark promise, in Sandy's ear before letting himself fall off the edge of the cloud, gone by the time Sandy looks over the edge to find him.

Sandy rubs at his chin, he's always been fond of a good challenge, and the prospect of a gift from Pitch...

He grins crookedly, no doubt Pitch will make it difficult for him, but he'll definitely track him down before the two weeks are up.

Pitch obviously thinks he'll have the upper hand in this game of cat and mouse. It's not as though Sandy's golden sand makes him particularly stealthy, and as long as there are shadows Pitch can return to his realm at any time and lock the way behind him. Sandy will have to use every method at his disposal, maybe even play dirty.

He smirks a little to himself. Pitch never said anything about cheating.

Six nights go by and Sandy almost catches Pitch a handful of times, but he always manages to slip away at the last moment. Sandy finds himself enjoying the thrill of the chase and savours each time he manages to sneak up on Pitch, but he really wants to catch him soon. This is where the cheating comes in.

Somewhere over Northern Canada a gust of wind comes from out of nowhere and Jack Frost settles beside him. Jack is the only one he'd requested help from, still not wanting the other Guardians to know of the Boogeyman's return but knowing the spirit of winter had a lot more empathy for Pitch than anyone else and would keep information regarding him a secret.

"Hey Sandy, I've got some good news."

Sandy claps his hands together in delight.

"I checked out the doorway that I once used to get to Pitch's realm and I think it's still there. It'll take a bit of digging to get it open again, but I'm sure it's nothing you can't handle."

Sandy smiles and makes himself a hardhat and a pair of safety goggles.

"Yeah, that's what I figured." Jack smiles back, happy that his friend is happy. "Hey, can I ask you something?"

The smaller spirit nods.

"Why are you looking for Pitch is he's not causing trouble?"

Sandy can't go into detail about the challenge, but he does let a heart float above his head.

"No kiddin'." Jack's reaction is fairly blasé and Sandy likes him all the more for it. "Well, I've got to go bring in a cold front. The hole to Pitch's realm is in the woods of Burgess, I left a sign for you, there's no way you'll miss it." He salutes and dives off of the cloud, flying further north.

Sandy quickly finishes up and heads south, grinning when he catches sight of Jack's sign.

The treetops are frozen in a giant rendition of a snowflake, only visible from a bird's eye view. He sets down in the centre of the pattern and takes a few steps to where a foot long icicle has been thrust into the ground, already beginning to melt in the weak light of dawn. He steps around the area, taps his foot against it curiously, then lays down to press his ear to the grass, fist rapping against the earth.

Hollow.

He excitedly forms a drill with his sand; he's got some breaking and entering to do.

It doesn't take too long for him to dig a hole big enough for him to fit through so soon enough he is traversing through Pitch's realm, whips at the ready just in case. He searches high and low, through twisting corridors and vast, empty rooms that seem to have no purpose, past the room where Pitch's own globe is located and in the dilapidated remains of a throne room, but there is still no sign of the Boogeyman.

He finally stumbles upon a bedroom that actually has furniture, but it is empty and the bed is made. He turns to move on but pauses on an afterthought. He creeps towards the bed and crouches down to look under it.

Pitch is laying on the floor, fast asleep.

Sandy holds back his laughter as he surveys the other spirit who looks right at home on the cold, hard floor. Talk about dedication to your image.

He uses his sand to carefully extract him from under the bed and place him atop it instead, letting Pitch's head rest in his lap. Pitch, much like himself, generally doesn't need sleep unless he's well and truly exhausted. His lack of believers combined with the game they've been playing has tired him right out, he needs all the rest he can get.

Sandy run his fingers through dark hair, sand drifting from his fingertips and filling Pitch's normally dreamless sleep with impressions of warm affection. Soon his own eyes are growing heavy in the stillness of the room and he dozes off.

His eyes flutter open sometime later when he feels Pitch begin to shift around. He yawns, stretches out his arms and rubs at his eyes before running his fingers through Pitch's hair once more, gently coaxing him to wakefulness. 

Pitch blinks up at him and tiredly smiles in the honest way people who still think they're asleep are, then he fully wakes up and stares at Sandy like he's grown an extra head.

"How did you even get in here?"

Sandy presses a finger to his lips and winks.

"How long have you been here?"

He shrugs. It's impossible to tell the time in this eternally dark place.

"Right. Well I suppose this counts as finding me, even though breaking into my abode while I'm sleeping seems an awful lot like cheating." He frowns and Sandy creates a halo around his head and presses his palms together in front of his chest, the very image of innocence.

Pitch snorts. "I've known you long enough to know better, Sandman, now whisk me away on a cloud or whatever it is you're planning for this time."

He blinks in confusing at the wrapped gift that appears in front of his face.

"Oh, I suppose I did promise you something, didn't I?"


	2. Chapter 2

Pitch sits up and lets out a too dramatic sigh before brushing his lips against Sandy's.

Sandy is still for maybe half a second before he bursts into action, unable to help himself. He pulls Pitch close and licks into his mouth, quickly taking control. Pitch's hands flutter around uncertainly before settling on his shoulders, then he lets out a soft, pleased sound which only eggs Sandy on. When they finally pull away from each other Sandy proudly looks over his handiwork; Pitch is flushing darkly, his lips are kiss-bruised and his pupils are dilated. It takes more self control than Sandy was aware he had to keep himself from leaning back in. Instead he cocks an eyebrow, delighting in the way Pitch's blush deepens.

Pitch scoffs and crosses his arms, choosing to disregard the heat in his cheeks as though ignoring it will make it disappear.

"Don't look so proud of yourself, it doesn't suit you."

Sandy's grin widens and he leans up to press a kiss to Pitch's forehead, chuckling when the other spirit sputters at the action, unsure how to react.

"Has anyone ever told you how very strange you are?" Pitch rolls his eyes when Sandy shakes his head. "Of course not." He smoothly steps off of the bed and runs his hands over his robe to smooth out any non-exsistent wrinkles. "Now then, what are our plans for today?"

Sandy brings forth images of couples on dates. They could sneak into a movie theatre, walk along a moonlit beach, watch the sun set, go swimming, or skating, maybe have dinner and drink copious amounts of wine. He adds in some passionate kissing at the end, because he will never get tired of seeing Pitch's cheeks gain colour.

"Have a bit of a one-track mind, do we?"

Sandy raises both eyebrows and gestures to Pitch in a clear 'you started it' gesture.

"That I did." Pitch stops fiddling with his clothing and stretches his arms over his head languidly. "I would not be opposed to a walk, not on a beach though. I detest walking on sand." He carefully considers the scenes Sandy displays before him; of parks, gardens and scenic cities.

"I have no preference, as long as it is dark." His eyes flick over to a map of the world on his wall. It is covered in a transparent film, half of which has a dark gradient, which rotates around the map. A sort-of-clock that he uses to know when dusk has settle over the world.

"The sun will set on Ireland soon and the leprechaun isn't very active at night, I think that will be suitable." He walks out of the room, Sandy following curiously as they make their way through countless hallways and down a spiralling staircase to a large round room with at least twenty doors that look exactly the same.

"My most visited places. Half of them lead to buildings people think are haunted." Pitch responds to Sandy silent question, strolling to a door on their right. "I believe this should be it." He opens the door and they both step into the dark entryway, it is only when the door closes behind them that Sandy can see their surroundings. He lets out an amused huff.

"What? I'm very fond of castles." He runs a hand along a wall and begins descending down a very tight, steep staircase. "I'm afraid this place has become a tourist trap over the past century. People come here and climb to the top, all just to hang over the side of the building to kiss a simple stone. Humans."

Sandy chuckles to himself, the leprechaun had once told him about the Blarney Stone and it's apparent ability to endow people who kiss it with the gift of the gab. He thinks it's a rather sweet story.

"You would."

Together they make their way out of the castle and begin strolling through the misty gardens around it. It may not seem as romantic as a walk on the beach, but when Sandy reaches to take Pitch's hand Pitch holds him back, which is all that really matters.

It ends all too quickly for Sandy's liking, but they do have their jobs to do. He escorts Pitch back to the doorway to his realm and is planning to steal a couple more kisses when Pitch speaks up.

"I suppose, since you've already found a way to get in anyways, you can visit me if you have time. I mostly stick to the American continent these days, so if you're ever in the area around noon feel free to drop in."

Sandy nods happily, he'll definitely be taking Pitch up on his offer.

"Well then, goodnight." Pitch holds out one hand and for a moment Sandy thinks he wants to part with a handshake before he notices the angle isn't right and sees the uncertainty in Pitch's eyes.

A proverbial lightbulb goes off in his head which he most certainly does not show with his sand, he's slightly smoother than that, and he kisses the back of Pitch's hand, then turns it over to kiss the palm and closes Pitch's fingers over the area his lips brushed.

Pitch gives him a faint smile in return before disappearing into shadow.

x-x-x

Sandy does not have the time to drop in everyday, and he can't always schedule it so that he knows Pitch will be in, so he gets into the habit of dropping in once every several days before spreading dreams through Burgess and leaving gifts in the bedroom for Pitch to find when he returns in the morning.

First is a bouquet of roses, then he hides a dozen slips of paper with the message 'I love you' written in different languages throughout the room, next is an old fashioned kettle and a container of Earl Grey tea, followed by sweet and sour candies, a book of poems, a pair of cute couple's pillowcases, each decorated with a puzzle piece, one labeled 'me' and the other 'you'.

He is leaving his latest gift on the centre of Pitch's bed when he hears the other spirit come up behind him.

"As much as I enjoy coming home to your courting gifts," and he does, Sandy can tell. The roses had been in a vase and are now hanging upside down and air drying to be preserved, all the papers have been found, the tea is half gone, the candies eaten, the book is on the bedside table and the pillowcases are on the always made bed, "I find myself selfishly wishing you would come around when I am actually here."

Sandy turns, fiddling with the small gift in his hands anxiously. He figured that sooner or later Pitch would stick around to catch him in the act and he's both excited and anxious that this will be the one he gives to Pitch in person.

Pitch steps forward, concern tugging at the corners of his mouth. "You are ill at ease, why?"

Sandy holds up the little box he'd brought and Pitch takes it from him gingerly.

He'd been deliberating over this particular gift for a while now, unsure whether Pitch would be familiar with the meaning behind it, even if one of his most visited places is in Ireland, but knowing that he wanted to give him something that not only symbolized love, but friendship and loyalty. Pitch cracked open the box and Sandy could hardly breath for anticipation.

Inside was a ring of two hands clasping a crowned heart.

"A Claddagh ring." Pitch murmured, slowly taking it out of the box. "I've heard about these, they mean different things depending on how you wear it, correct?"

He nodded.

"I am unsure which way to put it on. Do it for me?" Pitch held out the ring which Sandy took before delicately grasping Pitch's right hand, pressing a reverent kiss upon it, and pulling back to slide the ring up his finger, the point of the heart directed towards his wrist.

Pitch raised his hand, studying the gleaming gold band with something akin to wonder.

"Thank you, Sandy. I'm beginning to feel guilty, for I've yet to give you anything."

Sandy shook his head, he didn't need gifts.

"Still, it seems unfair..." Pitch trailed off, eyes glancing around the room, going over everything he'd been given. "I know you have a busy night ahead, but do you think, perhaps, you have time for a cup of tea?"

He nodded and followed Pitch down to the kitchen where they drank their tea in comfortable silence. When it was time to leave he pressed a kiss to the ring on Pitch's hand, then to his palm, and was pleasantly surprised when Pitch knelt down, arms wrapping around him, to give him a sweet kiss in return.

He kissed back softly, heart fluttering.

Pitch sighed as he pulled away and gently ran a hand through Sandy's hair.

"Don't keep me waiting too long to see you again."

Sandy nodded and leaned up to press a kiss to Pitch's forehead before heading back to the surface to spread dreams.

The following evening when he arrived to drop off more tea he found a small package addressed to him sitting on the bed. He read the accompanying note with a laugh. 'Let's see how you like receiving gifts when you can't give thanks in person.' How very Pitch.

He then turned his attention to the box, reaching for it slowly, almost trembling with expectation. It was a small box, almost the same size as the one he'd given Pitch the day before, maybe...

He took a calming breath and opened it.

Sitting inside was a Claddagh ring, black as night.

He slipped it onto the ring finger of his right hand, heart pointed to his wrist, the dark band easily visible against his gold skin.

He loved it.

Tomorrow, he silently vowed, tomorrow he'd visit Pitch when he was sure to be home. After all, a gift like this definitely deserved to have thanks given for it in person.

He made his way to the surface, only to find Jack nervously pacing around the exit.

"Sandy!" He nearly shouted upon catching sight of him. "Bunny came around just a couple minutes ago saying that Tooth told him that one of her fairies told her that she saw Pitch. Bunny said he was going straight to the Pole to tell North, so-" Jack paused and looked up, Sandy mirroring the action.

Waves of light drifted across the night sky, beautiful and eye catching.

"That's our cue, huh?"

Sandy nodded, forming a cloud and lifting them up into the air, the wind working to push them along even faster.

"Sandy," Jack leaned in closer, worry temporarily forgotten and a sly smile growing on his face, "what's that on your finger?"

He proudly lifted up his right hand and Jack took hold of it, studying the black ring closely and letting out a low whistle. 

"This is the same type of ring as the one you got Pitch, right?" He smiled when Sandy excitedly nodded in confirmation. "You two make quite a pair. Think you're ready to tell the others yet? Cause they're eventually going to notice the ring, it kind of stands out."

Sandy shrugged. He wouldn't try and keep the relationship itself a secret, but bringing up Pitch was going to be a delicate task.

"I bet Bunny'll have an aneurism when he finds out."

He chuckled and drew his hand out of Jack's grasp, fiddling with the ring and making sure it was perfectly centred on his finger.

"I guess all that wooing of yours has started paying off. Pitch didn't stand a chance."

Sandy slicked back his hair and grinned charmingly.

"You are one suave mofo." Jack laughed, even when Sandy punched him in the shoulder.

"Fine, fine. You are a suave gentleman of the highest order."

Sandy nodded, that was more like it, and once again turned his attention to the ring, a sure sign that Pitch reciprocated his feelings, and felt almost overwhelmingly warm with elation. He couldn't even think of the last time he'd been this happy. He wished he could share this wonderful news with everyone, but five years was a drop of time in a sea of centuries, and he knew not everyone would want to put the past behind them.

Soon enough they were approaching Santoff Claussen and Jack slung an arm around his shoulders, leaning in to whisper, "whenever you're ready to tell everyone, I've got your back. If anyone tries to downplay your feelings or whatever, I'll ice them for you."

He patted Jack's hand gratefully and reached out to pinch one of his cheeks.

"Sandy, you know I hate it when you do that." Jack whined and pouted as he rubbed at his face, but his eyes were smiling.

Sandy cooed at him and then set the cloud down.

They'd arrived.

Inside there was disorder. The elves were running amok, more so than usual, Tooth and most of her fairies were fluttering nervously around Bunny, while North listened to one fairy's, probably the one who had seen Pitch, frightened chirping.

"Jack, Sandy!" Tooth flew over and gave them both a brief hug before checking them over as if she thought they'd been held up due to a battle. "You've heard the news? I could hardly believe it, but none of my fairies would ever make up something like this." Her feathers fluffed up in a protective display. "Not about Pitch."

"So she's sure it was him?"

"Of course!" Tooth glanced over her should to where Bunny and North were standing, both of them gesturing to come forward. "Let's go, we'd better get to the Globe Room so we can all figure this out."

They made their way forward, Jack and Sandy sharing a concerned glance when North cleared his throat. 

"Fellow Guardians, as I'm sure you've heard by now, we have evidence that Pitch has returned. Little fairy has assured me that she saw him just this evening, lurking around Cleveland, Ohio. It has been suggested that we take preemptive measures such as-" He faltered when Jack's hand was thrust into the air. "You have a question?"

"Do we have any proof that he's actually up to something? Not to make light of what he did five years ago or anything, but I'm not very fond of the guilty until proven innocent rule."

Bunny and Tooth stared while North sputtered.

"Well, we do not exactly know what he's doing now, but is it not better to be safe than sorry?"

Jack shrugged and gave Sandy a pointed look from the corner of his eye, prompting the smaller spirit to step in and explain that he'd been covertly watching Pitch for a while now, and he didn't believe he had any tricks up his sleeve.

North slumped over in sheer exasperation. "Sandy, why did you not mention this before?"

He hadn't wanted to bring attention to it until he was sure about Pitch's intentions.

"And his intentions are?"

Sandy brought forth an image he had shown Pitch not long ago, of the Boogeyman lurking in a forest to scare away children and keep them from being gobbled up by a hungry wolf.

North pursed his lips in contemplation and Bunny snorted.

"Come on guys, this is Pitch Black we're talking about. Just because he hasn't tried something yet doesn't mean he won't."

Jack huffed. "What's that supposed to mean? We haven't seen him for five years, maybe he's changed."

Bunny crossed his arms and rolled his eyes heavenward. "Guys like Pitch don't change. Once a villain, always a villain."

"Oh, I see." Was all Jack said in response, gripping at his staff tightly. Tooth and North gave him a worried look and Bunny slowly uncrossed his arms, an uncertain look on his face.

"Jack, what's wrong?" Tooth prompted and Jack sighed, making a show of anxiously biting his lip.

"It's good to know where I stand. Once a havoc causing nobody, always a havoc causing nobody."

Bunny actually flinched. "Frostbite, you know that's not what I meant!"

"What did you mean then? I may not have been at Pitch's level, but let's not forget who held the Naughty List Record. Three hundred years is a long time."

"But Jack," North began softly, "I gave you clean slate, remember?"

"Yeah, because you needed me. If Pitch hadn't come back, how much longer would I have been left alone?"

Even Sandy couldn't hold back a wince at that.

"How many more years would it have taken for me to start trying to gain attention in dangerous ways? Another fifty years and I could have been just like Pitch."

"Jack, you would never-" Tooth began but the spirit of winter held up a hand to cut her off.

"We'll never know, because I have you guys now. But you don't understand what it's like to have no one acknowledge your existence for such a long amount of time." Jack's eyes glimmered and Sandy couldn't tell if the shine was from unshed tears or a spark of mischief. "So can we at least give Pitch the benefit of the doubt? Just a chance to prove that there's more to him? Sometimes a second chance is all someone needs."

The other three Guardians stared at the youngest raptly. Sandy glanced back and forth between them with something akin to awe.

He had them wrapped around his little finger.

It was Bunny who spoke up first, eyebrows furrowing and whiskers twitching. "Fine! I'll give 'im a chance."

"If Bunny's willing to let go of the past, then I suppose I'll try." Tooth piped up and North nodded slowly.

"It is decided then. But maybe we should pay him a visit anyway, just to check up."

"I'll go by myself, if we all storm his domain at once he's going to think we're on the offensive." Jack offered and North frowned.

"I do not think it is good idea for you to go by yourself."

"Then I'll bring Sandy. He's the only one Pitch is actually scared of anyways, so we'll be perfectly fine."

Sandy nodded and made a show of flexing his muscles.

"Well, I suppose..." North ran a hand over his face, unable to come up with a counter-argument. "I'll go get snowglobe for you." He exited the room, leaving the other Guardians to sit in an uneasy silence.

Sandy tugged on Jack's hoodie and was relieved when Jack sent a small smile his way. Then Tooth let out a hushed gasp and their heads swivelled in her direction. She was staring at the hand Sandy was gripping Jack's hoodie with. His right hand.

Oh.

"Sandy, is that what I think it is?" Tooth sailed forward, flittering around to stare at Sandy's hand from a variety of angles. The tense feeling in the room dissipated like it was never there to begin with.

"What's all this fuss about?" Bunny stepped next to Tooth and grinned at the sight of the ring. "Sandy, when were y'gonna tell us you were seein' someone?"

Tooth abruptly took Sandy's hand in her own, a barrage of questions ensuing.

"Who is it? Anyone we know? A lesser spirit, maybe? How long have you been together? Can we meet them? What are they like?"

"Woah, woah, not all at once Tooth." Jack laughed brightly. "And it's someone you've probably met once or twice."

"Jack knows? No fair!"

"Jack knows what?" North walked in, snowglobe in hand.

"Sandy's been having a clandestine affair!" Tooth all but shouted, clasping her hands together excitedly.

"Really?" North's eyebrows rose and he opened his mouth to ask his own set of questions, but it snapped shut when Jack grabbed the snowglobe out of his hands.

"Oi, surely y'don't have to leave right now."

"Sorry Bunny, but duty calls. Right Sandy?"

Sandy nodded and gave them a cheeky smile and salute while Jack tossed the snowglobe.

"But I have so many questions!" Tooth lamented and Sandy assured her that he would give her answers. Later.

For now he and Jack had a job to do. They shared a secretive smile and stepped into the portal that would take them to Pitch's realm.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, I switched part ten and eleven around here because I felt it made a bit more sense that way. I think this will have another three or four parts on the kink meme, so we'll probably get one more chapter on AO3, although I might end up doing an extra epilogue-y sort of thing.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy.

Pitch glanced up from his cup of tea and stepped away from the kitchen table, obviously surprised. 

"Sandy? Frost? What are you doing he-ah!" He was cut off when Sandy launched forward and engulfed him in a tight hug before peppering his face with kisses.

Jack rose his eyebrows at the display, but all together wasn't bothered by it.

"We come in peace." He intoned dramatically and Sandy moved back from Pitch just enough so that he could entwine the fingers of their right hands together.

"Yes, I gathered that." Pitch said dryly, looking down at his and Sandy's hands with a fond smile. "But I wasn't expecting another visit today. I take it you liked my gift?"

Sandy nodded and lifted their hands up so he could press a kiss to the ring on Pitch's finger. Pitch flushed darkly, eyes flicking over to Jack uncertainly, but copied the action.

"Wow, you two are gonna give me cavities."

"What a shame, the Tooth Fairy will be so disappointed." Pitch retorted with a roll of his eyes. "What are you doing here anyways?"

"We're here to check up on you."

"Why?"

"Because all the other Guardians know you're active again. Surprise!"

Pitch sighed and gripped Sandy's hand tighter.

"If they know I'm back, why is it that you two are the only ones here? I would have expected a more violent 'check up'."

"Come on, you really think me and Sandy would let them storm the castle in some sort of witch hunt?"

"I would expect this sort of thing from Sandy, but why are you helping me?"

"I'm a sucker for a good love story." Jack casually shrugged and Sandy laughed against Pitch's neck.

"Well, it grieves me to say so, but I suppose thanks are in order then."

"You're too kind." 

Sandy interrupted their bantering with a picture of the Guardians anxiously pacing and constantly checking a clock.

"Don't worry about that Sandy, I'm sure they don't expect us back for a while." Jack took the snowglobe from where it had reappeared in his hoodie pocket. "I could go back myself, say Pitch wanted to speak with you alone, buy you guys some time."

"Some time for what?"

Jack scrunched up his eyebrows and gave Pitch a look as though he were a particularly sweet, but dim, child. "I don't know if you've noticed, but ever since we got here there has been a rising, unresolved tension making itself known, and I'd rather not be around when you guys decide to act on it."

Wow, Sandy had never seen Pitch turn that colour before.

"There are no unresolved tensions of any kind!" Pitch sputtered before looking at Sandy with wider eyes than usual. "Are there?"

Sandy grinned darkly and untwined their hands to run a finger down the deep vee of Pitch's robe, eyes glinting mischievously when Pitch's pupils dilated ever so slightly. 

"Okay, I've seen enough of that." Jack tossed the snowglobe to the ground. "You two have fun and whatever, but, uh, maybe try not to be too long? Don't want the others to come storming in when you're mid-coitus."

Pitch made a chocked noise and Sandy waved Jack away, over his head a clock's minute hand made a full rotation.

"Alright, I'll distract them for at least an hour. Bye!" He leapt through the portal.

Pitch shivered in the ensuing silence, the weight of Sandy's gaze on him seemed to multiply tenfold.

"I don't suppose I could interest you in a cup of tea?"

Sandy shook his head and slowly backed Pitch up out of the kitchen. Over his head he made dark promises, he had to thank Pitch for his gift after all.

"Oh, that isn't really necessary."

Oh, but it was.

"It's just, I don't think I'm quite ready."

Sandy's eyes softened faintly and he cradled Pitch's face in his hands.

They didn't have to do everything, not yet. But he wanted, needed Pitch to know how happy he'd made him by giving him a ring in return.

"I don't want you to feel obligated."

Sandy held in his laughter and instead rose an eyebrow. Did it seem like he felt obligated?

"I suppose not."

He smiled encouragingly, promising to make it good for Pitch, telling him that if it became too much all he had to do was say stop, and he would.

"What, exactly, are you planning on doing?" Pitch asked, pausing while they were right outside of his bedroom.

Sandy smirked, and showed him.

He'd map out Pitch's body with his hands, teeth and tongue; find every sensitive spot and file it away for future reference. He'd make it so good for him, make him forget about everything, render him practically speechless until the only word he could remember was 'Sandy' and all he knew was pleasure.

Pitch visibly swallowed, and when he spoke he sounded breathless. "We've only got an hour, if you're going to make good on your promises you'd better get started."

Sandy pushed him into the bedroom and slammed the door shut behind them.

Pitch shivers as Sandy guides him to the bed, pressing his small hands against Pitch's chest until he lays down. Sandy hovers over him, just looking, for now, feeling an odd sort of glee at seeing Pitch on top of the bed instead of under it.

Pitch's eyes are soft, uncertain, and Sandy leans down to kiss his worries away.

Just let me take care of you.

He trails kisses along Pitch's jawline, curiosity piquing when the dark spirit's breath hitches as he scrapes his teeth against the skin just under his ear.

Interesting.

He gently bites down on the lobe and Pitch's hands come up to tightly grip at his shoulders, not pushing him away or pulling him closer. He adds a little more pressure and Pitch pulls him in, breath stuttering.

Very interesting. He'll have to remember that.

He moves down the column of Pitch's neck, leaving kisses and love bites in his wake, and Pitch seems to revel in the attention, titling his head to the side to give him easier access.

He is nipping at Pitch's collar bone and making an ingenious plan to leave a series of kisses all the way down the deep vee of his robe when the hands on his shoulders move to his hair, tilting his head upwards.

"Sandy, kiss me." Pitch entreats, and Sandy cannot find it within himself to deny Pitch anything.

He moves back up and kisses him deeply, hands skimming over Pitch's shoulders before moving to take hold of the hands in his hair and bring them down in front of him to lavish Pitch with their customary hand kisses, then licks between his fingers. Pitch gazes at him, eyes darker than usual, and Sandy gives him a reassuring smile and kisses the golden ring once more before lightly trailing his lips down the opening of Pitch's robe, tugging at the fabric covering his shoulders. Pitch slips out of the top part, dark cloth pooling around his waist, and Sandy moves back up to bite at the crook of his neck and press kisses from his shoulder to his wrist.

He's got a lot more exploring to do. When he said he was going to map out every inch of Pitch's body, he meant it.

He'll probably end up being late, but, he muses as he laves his tongue against the inside of Pitch's elbow which prompts him to make a quite fascinating sound, it will definitely be worth it.

x-x-x

Everything was as expected when Jack returned, alone, to the workshop. That is to say, the other Guardians had been tensely sitting in silence and when they saw him, sans Sandy, they freaked out.

"Jack! Why isn't Sandy-"

"Are you unharmed? What-"

"This was a trap, was't it-"

Jack held up both hands. "Okay guys, let's all just calm down," he slowly dropped his hands back down to his sides and took an exaggerated, deep breath, "and once you stop yelling questions at me I can tell you why I came back alone, which is definitely not due to any of the reasons you're currently thinking up."

Most assuredly not.

"Pitch and Sandy just wanted to talk to each other, alone."

"So? Y'coulda stayed anyways. Who knows what'll happen now that they've got no one else with them!"

Oh, Jack had a pretty good idea of what was happening and he was pretty happy to not be around to witness it.

"Don't worry about it Bunny, Sandy can handle this by himself."

"Are you sure?" Tooth asked, concern lacing her tone. "It might get a little tense between them. I know Sandy was in favour of the second chance, but I imagine things won't progress all that smoothly."

"I wouldn't worry about that, Sandy's a very smooth guy."

"Well," North mused, "if you are sure, I am certain we can trust yours and Sandy's judgment."

"Great! Sandy said it should only take him an hour, so in the meantime," Jack leapt up to perch on top of his staff, "we can either wait in tense silence, or do something that will pass the time quicker."

Tooth seemed to perk right up. "You!"

"Me?" Jack pointed to himself, baffled. "What about me?"

"You know who Sandy's having an affair with!"

"It's not an affair, it's just a super secret relationship."

"Why did you already know about it then?" Tooth demanded. If she'd been standing on the ground she'd probably be stomping her foot.

Jack glanced at the faces around him. Even though North and Bunny hadn't spoken up yet, they did have a curious look about them.

"I know because Sandy knew I wouldn't scare his romantic partner away."

"Oi, what d'ya mean, scare away?"

Jack sent Bunny a wry look. "Seriously? You guys can be pretty intimidating, and you've all got a lot of importance and sway, being longstanding Guardians and all. From what I've deduced Sandy had a hard enough time convincing them he was serious, he probably didn't tell you because he didn't want you all searching them down and frightening them away."

Tooth cocked her head to the side. "Are they a lesser spirit then?"

"Uh," alright, how much of the truth could he say without really giving anything away, "not really? They used to be a lot more powerful, but they've become less influential with the passage of time."

She pouted. "That doesn't narrow it down at all."

Good.

"What are they like? Are they a good match for Sandy?"

"They're pretty elegant, when they're not feeling as skittish as a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs that is, and I think they make a pretty good pair. Very two sides of the same coin."

Tooth clasped her hands together and sighed dreamily. "That's so sweet. Do you think Sandy will let us meet them soon?"

"Hmm." Jack tapped at his chin in contemplation. "Maybe, if you're on your best behaviour, I'll put in a good word for you."

North threw back his head to let out a burst of warm laughter. "Sounds like excellent idea. Come, we will stop asking questions for now and instead I will show you ice sculpture prototype for new sleigh I am working on." North gathered them all together and herded them out of the room.

And if Sandy showed up a little later than planned, looking all together too pleased with himself, well, who was Jack to bring attention to it?


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Warning for some sexy sand ongoings. That is all.

Days turn to weeks, weeks to months, and every time Sandy comes across a fellow Guardian he gives them a vague hint as to the identity of his 'mystery lover'. He finds it quite amusing, he's pretty sure they're compiling and listing every allusion he makes and get together every so often to compare notes to see who they can eliminate from their dwindling group of 'are they dating Sandy' subjects. Unsurprisingly Pitch has never been seen as an option, not even when Jack once went out if his way to mention a 'dangerously plunging neckline.'

Tooth had clutched at her face, torn between being scandalized and amused.

"You're dating a seductress? Oh my, oh my."

Seductress indeed.

Pitch likes to dramatically roll his eyes whenever the subject of these hints come up, but Sandy can tell he finds it funny. He's even given Jack suggestions on what to say, misleading facts with only the tiniest sliver of truth within them.

It wouldn't surprise Sandy at all if Pitch was the one who came up with the plunging neckline hint in the first place. 

Sandy snickers to himself and looks up at the sky.

It is the night of a new moon and they are spending a romantic evening aboveground. They are far enough north that light pollution isn't a problem and are peacefully stargazing. 

A shooting star travels through their field of vision, the second one within the hour, and Pitch frowns into his glass of wine.

"Do you ever miss it?" He makes an all-encompassing gesture with his free hand. "Travelling through space, granting wishes..."

Sandy shrugs, it's a yes and no answer. He'd missed it terribly at first, but being Earth-bound wasn't so bad. Besides, he cheerfully reminds Pitch, he does still hear and grant wishes. He sends the children of this world precious dreams where they can be anyone and do anything.

"How optimistic." Pitch remarks dryly before emptying his glass, but his frown disappears and he relaxes even further, resting his head in Sandy's lap.

He chuckles softly and runs his fingers through Pitch's hair.

"You'll put me to sleep if you do that." He protests, but he doesn't attempt to physically brush Sandy's hands away, and his eyes are already drooping tiredly. 

He's been getting a little stronger lately, needing a bit less sleep than before, but he can still wear himself out doing things he used to do with ease while testing his limitations.

Sandy smiles down at him, reassuring, Pitch can rest if he needs to, the stars will still be in the sky when he wakes up.

Pitch yawns and mumbles something under his breath before letting himself slip under and Sandy once again uses his abilities to send impressions of love and affection into Pitch's subconscious.

It's nice, to know that Pitch feels relaxed around him, that he trusts him enough to fall asleep in his presence. They've come so far in just a few short months.

He gently cards his hand through dark hair and searches out familiar stars until Pitch's eyes begin to flutter open. He stretches languidly and doesn't bother lifting his head, just wraps his arms around Sandy's neck to pull him down for a warm, soft kiss.

Sandy smiles against his lips, he loves it when Pitch instigates things between them. They pull away from each other and spend a few more serene moments staring up at they sky before a third shooting star makes an appearance. Then, in the back of Sandy's mind, he hears a wish.

'I want you to stay with me, always.'

He looks down at Pitch who is boldly staring back up at him, waiting for an answer. 

He presses a kiss to Pitch's forehead and assures him that he's never been happier to grant a wish.

"Promise?"

Promise.

"Good." Pitch abruptly sits up and takes a hold of Sandy's right hand, slipping the ring off of his finger.

Sandy makes move to violently protest the action until he realizes that Pitch is putting the ring back on his left hand.

He stares down, dumbstruck, at the black Claddagh ring now occupying the ring finger of his left hand, its heart pointed to his fingertip. He can scarcely breathe. Pitch must know what that means.

Engagement. 

"Well?"

Sandy's gaze snaps back up and Pitch is looking at him, flushed but unrepentant, holding out both hands towards him.

"Aren't you going to change mine?"

Sandy slowly reaches out to take Pitch's right hand, hardly able to believe that this is happening, that Pitch was the one who took the first steps towards this new relationship dynamic, that he had obviously looked up which way to wear the ring for it to symbolize engagement, that he'd actually been contemplating how to move their relationship forward. Them, engaged.

He presses an ardent kiss to Pitch's knuckles before removing the ring, turning it so that the heart was pointing down, and slipping it onto his left hand.

He looks at Pitch's hand, clasped within his own, for several long moments. Joy, awe and love steadily bubble up inside of him and when he finally lifts his eyes Pitch is giving him one of his rare, adoring smiles and Sandy can't help but tackle him to the ground and shower his face with kisses.

Pitch flourishes under Sandy's loving ministrations and is soon sinking his hands in Sandy's hair to reel him in and press their lips together. From then on it's only a matter of time before Sandy purposefully seeks out Pitch's most sensitive spots and lavishes them with attention.

He kisses the spot just under Pitch's ear, sinks his teeth into the lobe and softly runs his fingers over the inside of Pitch's elbow while Pitch can do little more than gasp from the actions.

Pitch, he'd discovered when he first took the time to map out his body, was delightfully responsive. There were, of course, places that were more sensitive then others, but even the lightest touch in the most inconspicuous area could drive him mad.

Case and point; he held a hand against the back of Pitch's neck and slowly dragged it upwards, prompting Pitch to lean heavily into the action.

"Sandy, the sun will rise soon," Pitch reminded between stuttered breaths, "we may want to take this indoors."

A swirl of sand above their heads asked the ever important question: your place or mine?

"We can get to mine quicker, but-" he cut himself off, back arching, when Sandy bit and sucked at the column of his neck, "but I can't concentrate enough to take us there when you keep touching me."

Decisions, decisions.

He pulled away briefly, just long enough for Pitch to catch his breath and pull them both into the cover of darkness. Once they were through he began kissing him again with a renewed sense of purpose, only half paying attention to their surroundings as he guided Pitch through labyrinthian hallways to get to his bedroom.

In the back of his mind he thinks it's a shame that it's always easier for them to continue their liaisons in Pitch's realm. He thinks of how good Pitch would look spread out on the soft, golden sheets of Sandy's bed, with enough ambient lighting in the room that he could see everything in full detail.

Next time, next time for sure.

They finally make it to the bedroom and, without breaking away, Pitch begins to strip his robe off, freeing his arms before tugging at Sandy's ascot. His knees hit the edge of the bed and he falls back, pulling Sandy with him.

They exchange more feverish kisses as they quickly remove each other's clothing. They're moving a lot faster than normal but, Sandy supposes, sure that he can feel the weight of the ring on his left hand, they're probably both eager to celebrate.

He sends two thin tendrils of sand slithering down Pitch's arms and Pitch shudders a bit at the rough drag against his skin but doesn't resist as his arms are moved to his sides and pinned to the bed. Sandy trails kisses down Pitch's chest and nips prominent love bites into the edge of his hip bones while a third rope of sand roots through Pitch's bedside table for something he'd hidden away the last time he was here.

Pitch bucks against him. "Sandy, don't be a tease," he keens when Sandy turns his attention to leaving more love bites on the inside of Pitch's thighs. Sandy just smirks into his flesh and bites down harder until his third rope of sand returns to him with a small bottle. He liberally coats his finger before finally turning his attention to Pitch's erection. He grips the base with one hand, running his tongue from base to tip, while his other hand trails lower, searching.

"What are you- oh!" Pitch jerks, arms straining against his bonds as Sandy leisurely sucks the head into his mouth and slips one finger inside.

Pitch lets out a sharp sigh and shifts his hips, bearing down on Sandy's hand. He gently adds another finger and scissors them and Pitch moans and bucks into his mouth.

Sandy loves the noises Pitch makes for him, he wants to hear them all, so he pulls away completely and softly shushes the distressed whine he gets in response.

He settles his hands on Pitch's shoulders and stares down hotly, because as much as he loves hearing the moans and sighs he loves watching Pitch's expressions even more.

Just trust me, he croons with his sand, and Pitch nods in assent.

He lets the sand take his place, gently swirling around him and filling him up. Pitch's eyes widen and he gasps.

"Sandy, Sandy," he chants like a prayer, hips moving erratically as he can't seem to figure out if he'd rather push down onto or up into the pressure. His movements become stronger, faster, and soon he finds an angle that makes stars explode behind his eyelids. He usually throws an arm over his face during orgasm, but Sandy keeps them locked to his sides, avidly watching Pitch lose himself.

He sinks bonelessly into the mattress afterwards, eyes glazed, and Sandy recalls his sand and presses kisses all over Pitch's face. He's only half surprised when Pitch rolls them over and does the same to him.

"I feel as though I've left you in the lurch," Pitch muses before trailing his tongue down Sandy's chest and smirks up at him coyly, "what shall we do to rectify that, hmm?"

x-x-x

Jack is, of course, the first one who finds out about the engagement. Sandy sneaks aboveground to find him while Pitch is sleeping to share the news and ask for Jack to gather up the others for a meeting at his Sand Palace so he can tell them personally. They're bound to notice that the ring is on his left hand sooner or later, and he's been keeping secrets long enough.

Jack is only too happy to help, overjoyed for his friend, and promises to have everyone there within an hour or two. He flies off on a wind current and Sandy goes back underground.

Pitch doesn't wake from his slumber, not even when Sandy forms a cloud underneath them to travel to the surface. He creates a large beach umbrella to keep Pitch out of direct sunlight, and then they're off.

When Pitch finally stirs he's in an unfamiliar, bright room and Sandy is absentmindedly carding his fingers through his hair.

"Relocating me as I sleep? How positively untoward of you." Pitch sits up and stretches his arms over his head before curiously gazing at his surroundings. "I'm assuming you have a reason for bringing us here?"

Sandy nods and above his head appears a pair of ringing wedding bells, then a tooth, a present, and an egg.

Pitch gives him a dry look. "No snowflake?"

He grins and shows an image of Jack herding the other Guardians together.

"I see, so they're finally going to know and can stop playing that ridiculous guessing game." He smirks. "I wonder if this information will give anyone an aneurism." 

Sandy playfully huffs, he's sure the others will take the news calmly, at least after the initial shock is over.

His thought process is interrupted by a faint scream and they both turn to look out the window.

Bunny cannot reach Sandy's small island through his tunnels, so usually he just hitches a ride with North. Apparently Jack's taken the choice out of his hands though, because they're both soaring in on a wind current; Jack majestically, Bunny not so much.

When they land Bunny throws himself to the ground and refuses to get up for a solid five minutes while Jack prods at him with his staff. Tooth arrives soon after Bunny picks himself up, and North arrives not long after that.

Sandy turns away from the window only to find that Pitch has disappeared somewhere, He rolls his eyes fondly, he's probably planning a dramatic entrance. 

He makes his way to the foyer to greet everyone as they come inside and he shares a secretive smile with Jack when North asks why they've been gathered together. 

He proudly lifts up his left hand and, once what he's showing them registers, Tooth dives straight at him and pulls him into her arms, hugging him tightly.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe it! Congratulations!"

"Thank you." Pitch steps in from out of nowhere, looking incredibly pleased with himself.

"Pitch!" Bunny's fingers twitch like he's hardly able to keep himself from grabbing his boomerangs. "What are you doing here?"

Pitch just smiles and Tooth drops Sandy to clasp at her face as she shrieks, "I should have know from that plunging neckline comment!"

"Wh-what?" Bunny looks between Pitch and Sandy in alarm. "No way. Really?"

Sandy leans against Pitch's side and happily conjures an image of a wedding chapel surrounded by hearts.

"But what if he hurts you?"

Pitch frowns. "I'll do no such thing."

"Oh yeah? Why not?"

"Because I love Sandy."

That takes the wind right out of Bunny's sails and Sandy uses all of his self control to keep from jumping Pitch in front of company.

North laughs deeply and strides forward, arms open. "I am very happy for the both of you." He scoops them up and gives them a bone crushing hug while Tooth flutters around them excitedly.

North eventually lets them go and they can finally catch their breath and attempt to answer Tooth's barrage of questions. Bunny, after being poked at by Jack, manages to move forward and wish the newly engaged couple well.

"Oh gosh, do you guys know when you want the wedding to be? Can I help plan it? Please let me help plan it!" Tooth flies around them frantically while Jack softly chuckles and whispers something about a wedding night to Bunny who recoils in horror and North, who must have overheard, actually turns pink.

"What kind of colour schemes were you thinking of: traditional or modern? And what about flowers? Oh my goodness!" Tooth grabs a hold of Pitch's shoulders and stares straight into his eyes. "What is the guest list going to be like?"

It's a little overwhelming, all this attention, but when Pitch reaches out to hold Sandy's hand in his own and feels Sandy's fingers squeeze him back, he feels ready to face the world. Wedding preparations will be a cakewalk in comparison.


End file.
